Labeling-machine.



PATBNTED JULY'V, 1,903.

JN0; 733,031.V

J( G. HENDRICKSON. LABBLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

J. G. HBNDRIGKSON. LABBLING MACHINE.

` APPLIOATIONIILBD MAB.. 29, 1902. N0 MODEL. f

N III l--fl fig@ YH: nonms FUER: ca.. pnofaumo.. WASHINGTON; n. r:4

\ PATENTED JULY '7, 1903r SHEETS-summa.

UNiED STATES Patented July '7, 1903.

JAMES e. HENDRiOKsON, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERsEiAssIGNORTO TEE NEW YORKLARELLiNe MACHINE OOMPANY,AOORPORAT1ON OE NEw YORK.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.\733,039, dated July 7,1903. Application tiled March 29, 1902. 1 Serial Nin-100,519. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMES G. HENDRICK-` SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Bayonne, in the count-y of Hudson and State ofNew Jersey, have invented cer-4 acting labeling devices mounted adjacentthe runway.

VIn the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characterrefers to similar parts in the several figures, Figure lis a sideelevation of a labeling-machine embodying this invention. Fig. ,2 is aplan view showing parts of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 showdetails.

The rigid frame A is formed at the top of the same with the transverse`pieces A' and A2, the latter being formed with an extended upper surfaceto serve as a receiving-tablet The longitudinal guides B and C areadjustably secured to the transverse pieces by `screws B C', whichcooperate with suitable slots, so that these guides may be adjusted toform a runway of any desired Width.` The guides are each provided withledges B5 and C5, respectively, to support articles as they are fedalong this runway. Upon the guide Care mounted a series ot spring-guidesC2,

which are secured in slots C3 in the guide C by screws C4.Thesespring-guides are intended to press upon articles in the runway tocrowd them against the Aface ot the opposite guide B, so as to hold themmore accurately in alinement as they are fedalong the runway. Above therunway and at the several-stations along the same directly above thepaster H9, the label-box L, and presserP there are mounted movableretainers, which firmly clamp articles down upon the runway while thelabeling devices are acting'upon -frame of the machine.

them. The retainer F, which may, if desired, be provided with a suitableface, of leather or other yielding material, is pivoted by the pivot Fto the sleeve F2. This sleeve is free to turn about the stud F3, but isheld in position upon the stud by the thumb-nut F8. This thumb-nutengages the threaded end of the bolt F7 and serves to secure the studinany desired position upon the slide F6,

Ithe `bolt entering a suitable opening in this slide. The slide ismounted to move verticallyiu an opening F5, formed in theretainersupport F4, which is rigidly secured to the This slide isreciprocated vertically through a suitable mechanism to be described,and the retainer is reciprocated with it, the connections itor theretainer forming a universal joint with the slide and slot,.permittingthe retainer to be adjusted with respect to the slide. The pin F9 issecured to the slide, and. the retainerlever G, which is pivoted to moveabout the pin G in the support, actuates the slide by the retainer-linkG2, pivoted by the pin G10 to the lever and engaging the pin F9, whichpasses through asuitable slot GSin the link. The spring G4 acts betweenthe link and the pin t0 press the slide yieldingly down upon articles inthe runway. Each one of the retainer levers is actuated in unison, sincethe retainer-bar G5 is pivoted to the upper end Ot each one ot' theretainer-levers. The retainer-arm N6, rigidly secured to the shaftN,Operates the retainers through the connecting-bar G7, which is pivotedat its upper end to the piu G6 in one of the retainerlevers. Any desiredform ofconnection may be'employed between the retainer-arm and theconnecting-bar to transmit the oscillations of the retainer-arm to theretainers. It is desirable, however,.in order to'have the retainersyieldingly clamplthe articles upon the runway and to have them releasedas quickly as possible from engagement with these articles to provide aspring connection between these two parts andan automatic latch. Thisconnection is illustrated in Fig. 3. The latch-H is pivoted about thepivot 'N7 in the end of the retainer-arm N. The upper end of this latchH is given a hook form to engage upward, the proportion of the partsbeing such that as soon as the latch is released from the projection G9the spring N9 throws the connecting-bar up su fficiently to quicklyraise the retainers from contact with the articles in the runway. Thespring NS bears against vthe latch and throws its upper end against theprojection G9. The trip H9, pivoted to the frame adjacent the latch, ispressed forward bythe light spring H4, so that as soon as theretainer-arm starts to move in an upward direction the trip engages thepart H2 of the latch and releases the upper end of the latch from theprojection G9, thereby releasing the retainers. As the retainer-armcontinues to move upward the slides reach the upper limit of theirmovement, and thereupon the pin N7 in the retainer-arm moves up alongthe slot G8 in the connecting-bar, extending the spring N9, so that thelatch hooks over the projection G9, as is indicated in Fig. 3. On thedownward movement of the retainer-arm the retainers are all moved intocontact with articles upon the runway, the springs G4 pressing eachretainer down with substantially equal pressure in spite of any slightirregularities in the various articles. Then as soon as the retainer-armmoves upward the latch is released and all the retainers are at oncedisengaged.

The feeder (illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7) is in the form of a bar D ofrectangular cross-section, which moves in a guideway in the guide B, soas to be supported throughout its whole length duringits reciprocation.Suitable retaining-screws B3 serve to hold it in position in connectionwith plates BT. A number of feeding-pawls D are pivoted to the feeder bythe pivots D2, suitable springs D4 being employed to hold thesefeeding-pawls out into the runway, their position being determined bythe pins D3, which engage the rear ends of these pawls. The connector Eis secured to the feeder by thescrews ES, which pass through suitableslots E9 in the connector, so that the connector may be readily adjustedupon the feeder and rigidly secured thereto. The holding-pawls E4 moveabout the pivots E9 in the connector, the pivots E3 serving to connectall of these holding-pawls to the actuator E4, which is reciprocated bysuitable connections engaging the bolt E9 in the actuator. The extent ofmovement of the holding-pawls is limited by the stop E9 or pin in one ofthe holding-pawls, which, as indicated in Fig. 2, coperates with asuitable opening formed in the connector to allow the holdingpawls toprotrude into the runway to the desired extent. By forming the feeder inthis manner it is firmly supported .in the guideraaoe way and cannotswing outward under the pressure exerted by the holding-pawls. All ofthe articles are therefore engaged in a regular manner and fed forwardaccurately.

The gage B2 is adjustably secured to the guide B by the bolts B3 andextends around the ends of the same. In either end of this gage thegage-screws B4 are provided, suitable lock ends being arranged to adjustthese gage-screws in position. The feeder in its reciprocation movesinto engagement with the gage-screws at either end of its stroke, so

that the extent of its reciprocation is limited by the distance betweenthese gage-screws. Since it is desirable that the feeder shouldaccurately place articles in position at the several stations along therunway, it is desirable to regulate the forward position ofl the feeder,and this is readily done by bodily moving the gage, which may be securedin any desired position by the screws B3.

` It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the plate A3 is mountedat tho rear end of the runway, its position being adjusted by the screwA4, which engages a suitable slot in the plate. Articles as they1 arefed through the machine are placed in contact with this plate, and thenthe actuator moves the holding-pawls into engagement with each one ofthe articles to hold them against the feedingpawls. A further movementof the actuator reciprocates the feeder, carrying the articles forwardone station, the final position 4of the articles being regulated by theposition of the gage-screw B4. As the actuator moves in a rearwarddirection, the feeding-pawls yield as they pass the articles in therunway, so as to move into position behind Ithe several articles.

The paste apparatus, which comprises the paste-reservoir HS and thepaster H9, is constructed and operates in substantially the same mannerdisclosed in the patent referred to, and the presser P, which preferablyhas a face of yielding material and is constructed and mounted asin thepatentreferred to, has also a well-known construction and operation.

The labeling device comprises the labelbox L, having projecting ribs atits upper end to retain the labels, and lits over the plunger L', asindicated in Fig. 5. Labels may be inserted in the box through asuitable openingin the side of the same, the label-box being raised uponthe plunger forthis purpose. The plunger is rigidly secured to theplatform L2 ,which is mounted to reciprocate verticallyl upon the rodsor gi'lides A9, the platform being provided with suitable guides L9,engaging these rods. The label-slide K,which is always positivelyreciprocated, is mounted upon these rods above the platform, and it iscounected with the platform by a suitable compensating gear, whichserves to feed the plunger forward at the same rate that the labels arewithdrawn from the label-box, so that as IOD IIC

'react-ie the'label-box is reciprocated during ,the operation ofthemachine the top label in the box is always `pressed against the pastedarticle in the Yrunway with the same force. The ratchet K', which isrigidly secured to the worm-gear K2, is mounted in the labelslide K. Theworm engages the worm-wheel K3, which carries on the sameshaft thepinion K4. The ratchet is fed forward one or more teeth at a time byengaging the pawl K5, piv- -oted to the frame of the machine and pressedinto operative position by the spring KG. The adjusting-screw K7 servesto adjust the position of the pawl, so as to regulate the extent throughwhich the ratchet is fed. The rack L4 is pivoted about the pin L5 in theplatform, and it is nomally held in engagement with the pinion K4 by thelock L, which is preferably pivoted in the platform, the lock beingprovided with the thumb-nut L7 on its outer end for operating the same.The lock is also provided with the striker-arm LS, which engages thestriker L9, secured to the slide K,

when the platform has been fed forward as far as desired by thecompensating gear, and this action rotates the lock L6, so as Atorelease the rack L4 from the pinion K4. This allows the platform todrop, so as to carry the label- `box out of engagement with the runway,so

that when the rack is disengaged from the pinion thelabel-box is nolonger reciprocated, but the link KS merely reciprocates the slide. Ifdesired, of course the rack may be `positively moved out of engagementwith the that it is not necessary to employ the exact form ofcompensating gear which has been described.

i The actuating mechanism by which the reciprocating feeder is movedforward to simultaneously feed a series of articles along the runway,then the retainers moved down to clamp these articles in position and tofirmly hold them while the intermittentlyoperating labeling devices actupon them at the several stations, is substantially the same `asindicated in the patent referred to, the series of operating-shafts M,N, O, and N4 being mounted in the frame of the machine to movethevarious parts. The operating-handle M' is secured to the shaft M, andthe arm Msis also secured to this shaft, this arm serving to operate thefeeder. The shafts N and N4 are rotated substantially in synchronismwith the shaft M by the yoke N3, pivoted at M5 to the arm M3 and at N2to the arm N, rigidly secured to the shaft N. This shaft through aspring connection operates the presser P. The shaft N4 operates thespring N10, which is connected to the link K8, which reciprocates thelabel-slide K. This label-slide is by means of the compensating gearconnected to the platform, so that the label-box is in this mannerreciprocated during the normal operation of the machine.

Many modifications may be made by those familiar with this art withoutdepartingfrom the spirit of this invention. Parts of this machine may beused without employing all of the same, and parts may be employed inconnection with other devices well known in this art. I do not,therefore, wish to be limited to the disclosure which I have made inthis case; but

` What I claim as new, and what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In a labeling-machine, a runway c'omposed of two longitudinal guidesmounted so as to be laterally adjustable, a reciprocating feeder mountedin one of said guides, a connector adjustably mounted on said feeder, aseries of spring-pressed feeding-pawls on said feeder, a series ofholding-pawls pivoted to said connector, an actuator pivoted to saidholding-pawls to simultaneously move them into operation and also toreciprocate said feeder, a gage mounted in said guideV adjacent saidfeeder to regulate the extent of reciprocation of the same, a series ofretainers mounted at stations along said runway to clamp articles inposition at said stations, said retainers being adjustably mounted inslides by universal joints, retainer-levers operated in unison by aretainer-bar, retainer- `links connected to said levers and having apin-and-slot connection with said slides, springs between said links andsaid slides and means to operate said retainer-levers comprising anoscillating retainer-arm, a connecting-bar havinga pin-and-slotconnection with said retainer-arm, a latch pivoted to said retainer-armand engaging said connectingbar, a trip to disengage said latch and aspring to quickly disengage said retainers when saidV latch is released,and intermittently-operating labeling devices coperatin g with saidrunway.

2. In a labeling-machine, laterally-adj ust- ICO IIO

able guides to form a runway, a reciprocating feeder mounted in aguideway in one of said guides to be supported thereby during itsreciprocation, a series of feeding-pawls pivoted to said feeder, aconnector mounted on said feeder by screws engaging connector-slots insaid connector, holding-pawls pivoted in said connector, therebeingastop to limitthe movement of said holding-pawls, an actuatorconnected to said holding-pawls to operate the IZO same and toreciprocate said feeder, labeling devices mounted below said runway tocoperate with the same, retainers mounted above said runway to clamparticles to the same while said labeling devices are operating, yieldingmeans to move said retainers into engagement with articles, said meanscomprising a latch and trip to quickly release said retainers from saidarticles.

3; In a labeling-machine, a runway, labeling devices mounted adjacentsaid runway, retainer-supports mounted adjacent said runway, slidesmounted in said supports, retainers adjustably mounted in said slideswith a universal-joint connection, retainer-levers pivoted in saidsupports, links having a pinand-slot connection with said slides,springs between said pins and said links, a retainerbar between saidlevers and means to actuate said levers comprising a connecting-bar, aretainer-arm having a pin-and-slot connection with said connecting-bar,a spring between said retainer-arm and said connecting-bar, a latch toconnect said retainer-arm and connecting-bar and a trip to disengagesaid latch to allow said spring to quickly release said retainers.

4. In a labeling-machine, a runway, retainers mounted adjacent saidrunway to clamp articles in position thereon, springs to yieldinglyoperate said retainers and actuating means for said retainers comprisinga spring,

a latch and lneans to release said latch tor quickly disengage saidretainers.

5. In alabeling-machine, a runway, a series of spring-pressed retainersto clamp articles upon said runway and means to actuate said retainerscomprising a spring and latch and means to release said latch to allowsaid spring to quickly disengage said retainers.

6. In a labeling-machine, a runway, a series of spring-pressed retainersto clamp articles upon said runway and means to operate said retainerscomprising a latch to quickly disengage said retainers.

7. In a labeling-machine, laterally-adjustable guides to form a runway,intermittentlyoperating labeling devices mounted below said runway tocoperate therewith, a movable retainer-bar, retainers above said runwayyieldingly actuated from said retainer- `bar to clamp articles upon therunway adjacent said labeling devices, a reciprocating feeder ofrectangular cross-section mounted in a rigid guideway in one of saidguides to be supported throughout the whole length of said feeder duringits reciprocation, a series of feeding-pawls on said feeder and means toreciprocate said feeder.

8. In a labeling-machine, laterally-adjustable guides to form a runway,labeling devices adjacent said runway to coperate therewith, areciprocating feeder mounted in a guideway in one of said guides to besupported throughout the whole length of said feeder during itsreciprocation, an adjustable gage extending around said guide and adjustable gage-screws in said gage to limit the reciprocation of saidfeeder.

9. In a labeling-machine, guides to form a runway, labeling devicesmounted adjacent said runway to cooperate therewith, a reciprocatingfeeder mounted in a guideway in one of said guides to be supportedthroughout substantially the whole length of said feeder during itsreciprocation, a series of feedingpawls on said feeder, a slottedconnector adjustably mounted on said feeder, a series ofpositively-actuated holding-pawls on said connector and a gage extendingaround said guide to limit the extent of reciprocation of said feeder.

l0. In a labeling-machine, a runway, labeling devices cooperating withsaid runway, a spring-pressed retainer to clamp articles upon saidrunway and means to actuate said retainer comprising a spring and latchand means to release said latch to allow said spring to quicklydisengage said retainer.

l1. In' a labelingmachine, a runway, a spring-pressed retainer to clamparticles upon said runway and means to actuate said retainer comprisinga spring and latch and means to release said latch to allow said springto quickly disengage said retainer.

12. In a labeling-machine, a runway, a spring-pressed retainer to clamparticles upon said runway and means to operate said retainercomprisingalatch and releasing means to quickly disengage sadretainer.

13. In a labeling-machine, means to support an article to be labeled, aretainer to clamp an article upon said means and means to operate saidretainer comprising a latch and releasing means to quickly disengagesaid retainer.

14. In a labeling-machine, laterally-adjustable guides to form a runway,intermittentlyoperating labeling devices mounted below said runway tocoperate therewith, retainers to clamp articles upon said runwayadjacent said labeling devices, a reciprocating feeder of rectangularcross-section mounted in a rigid guideway in one of said guides andretained in said guideway to be supported throughout the whole length ofsaid feeder during its reciprocation, a gage to adjust the extent ofmovement of said feeder and a series of spring-pressed feeding-pawls onsaid feeder.

15. In a labeling-machine, a runway, labeling devices mounted adjacentsaid runway, retainer-supports mounted adjacent said runway,slidesmounted in said supports,retainers adjustably mounted in said slides,retainer-levers pivoted in said supports, links having yieldingconnection with said slides and a movable retainer-bar connecting saidlevers to actnate the same.

JAMES G. IIENDRICKSON.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, ELLIS B. SOUTHWORTH.

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